Ex-SolGen Cadiz, Diokno, 5 others to face Calida in anti-terror law oral arguments

Former solicitor general Jose Anselmo Cadiz, Free Legal Assistance Group chairman Chel Diokno, Albay Representative Edcel Lagman, and four other lawyers will argue against the anti-terror law and face off with Solicitor General Jose Calida in oral arguments at the Supreme Court next week.

Thirty-seven groups of petitioners selected 13 lawyers — seven main and six alternates — to argue on the issues set by the SC for oral arguments on January 19.

They are the following:

•     Former solicitor general Jose Anselmo Cadiz, with Integrated Bar of the Philippines official Randall Tabayoyong as alternate;
•     FLAG chairman Jose Manuel Diokno, with former SC spokesman Theodore Te as alternate;
•     University of the Philippines College of Law political law cluster chair Alfredo Molo III;
•     Human rights lawyer Evalyn Ursua, with National Union of Peoples' Lawyers (NUPL) Assistant Secretary General Josalee Deinla as alternate;
•     Former Bayan Muna representative and NUPL chair Neri Colmenares, with NUPL Secretary General Ephraim Cortez as alternate;
•     Albay Representative Edcel Lagman, with Ateneo law professor Howard Calleja as alternate; and
•     Algamar Latiph of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission, with human rights lawyer Bantuas Lucman as alternate

Each of the seven main lawyers will argue on a cluster of issues ranging from whether the SC should issue a temporary restraining order to whether the powers of the Anti-Terrorism Council violate the Constitution.

The SC had asked for eight lawyers from the petitioners but they selected only seven, with a request to allow the six alternates to physically attend the oral arguments to assist those who will argue.

They will have a total of 45 minutes to present their arguments.

Calida, who represents the government, may bring only up to three lawyers with him in the first oral arguments the SC will be conducting during the COVID-19 pandemic.

All attendees have to present a negative COVID-19 RTC-PCR test result taken within 72 hours before the oral arguments, the SC said.

Retired SC justices, lawmakers, activists, students, artists, journalists, labor groups, and many others filed petitions against the anti-terrorism law, raising concerns it could violate basic rights and legitimize supposed state attacks against government critics and activists.—AOL, GMA News